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W. W. QUINTON.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Armenian mm In. 1:. ma.

1,816,060. Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. QUINTON, OF NOBT'HBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER CORPORATION, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FEELEIB, MECHANISM FOIL LOOMS.

Specification of Letters ratent.

Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

Application filed March 12, 1918. Serial No. 222,018.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. QUIN- ToN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Northbridge, county of Worcester, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Feeler Mechanisms for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to fecler mechanisms for looms, and more particularly to the detecting end portion of the feeler member.

111 feeler looms, where the filling is replenished prior to complete exhaustion of that in the running shuttle, it is desirable that the feeler be sensitive either to the presence or substantial exhaustion of filling, and in feeler mechanisms of the side swipe type, that the feeler mlnber move longitudinally of the shuttle when substantial exhaustion is detected. This movement of the feeler member longitudinally of the shuttle takes place on a detectingbeat while the detecting end of the feeler member is engaged with the few remaining turns of filling in the shuttle or with the surface of the filling carrier or bobbin itself. In either case, the detecting end of the fceler member should bear against the filling or carrier with as little frictional resistance to movement longitudinally of the shuttle as possible. in order to secure desired sensitiveness of feeler action.

An im ortant feature of the present invention, t erefore, consists of a feeler member, the detecting end of which has a part formed with an edge bearin behind the toothed portion to ride along t e filling carrier or turns of filling when the critical point of exhaustion has been reached.

Where fine yarn is being used, the constant action of the feeler upon the filling is liable to injure it, and may in some cases cause breakage of the yarn. It is a purpose of the present invention to provide the feeler member with a detecting or engaging end of such construction that while the toothed portion may elfectively hold the feeler memher from movement longitudinally of the shuttle while a sufficient amount of filling is present for weaving purposes, the yarn will not be injured.

The above and other features of the invention will be hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings which show one good practical form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fccler member provided with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same looking in the direction of the arrow a, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view looking in the direction of the arrow 1), Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged end view looking in the direction of the arrow 0, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 shows the action of the feeler when a working supply is present in the shuttle; and

Fig. 6 is a View looking in the direction of the arrow 0 and showing the bearing edge contact of the feeler end and carrier or bobbin when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat.

The present invention may be advantageously employed on the feeler member of a side swipe feeler mechanism, especially where fine yarn is being woven as filling. An example of such side swipe feeler mechanism is furnished by the application of Edward S. Stimpson, erial Number 197,410, filed October 19. 1917 wherein, when a working supply is present in the shuttle on a detecting beat, the feeler memher is held from movement along the filling carrier or bobbin by engagement with the filling, but when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, the feeler member is moved longitudinally along the filling carrier. The detecting end of the feeler member, which forms the subject of the present invention, is provided with a toothed portion which may sink into the filling and be held from movement longitudinally of the filling without injur to the filling itself, even when of fine quality; and while the invention is designated as applicable to side swipe feeler mechanisms of the type shown by the Stimpson application, it is to be understood that it may be advantageously employed with other types of feeler mechanisms.

In illustrating the invention, it has not been necessary to show the entire feeler mechanism, because the invention itself is restricted to the detecting end portion of the feeler member.

The {color member may be of any desired formation, and in the present instance is shown as an arm 1, preferably made hollow for lightness, and provided at its rear portion with the detecting end 2. The end 2 may be appropriately formed of suitable ma terial, preferably fibroid or similar substance, and is secured to the feeler llW-ll'llllil' 1 by a shank portion 3 extending from the detecting end 2 into the llGl'l'lllllitl portion of the feeler member. The upper and lower portions of the feeler member 2 may be fiattened somewhat, as at 4, to avoid any obstruction to the entrance of the feeler member into the usual slot formed in the front wall of the shuttle-box and shuttle.

The detecting end 2 has a toothed portion for engagement with the filling on a detecting beat, and the number of teeth may be varied to suit conditions of use. In the present instance, three teeth 5 are shown, each of which has a flattened filling-engaging face 6. Figs. 1, 4 and 5, adapted to sink into the mass of filling 7 wound upon the carrier or bobbin 8 without injury to the filling even when of fine quality.

At the trailing side of the toothed portion, the detecting end of the feeler member has bearing edges 9 which, when the feeler is given its side swipe movement, ride along the elements of the filling carrier or bobbin, as indicated in Fig. 6. These bearing edges present a minimum surface contact between the detecting end of the feeler member and filling carrier as the feeler member moves longitudinally of the shuttle when the filling is substantially exhausted and are rounded. as shown. The bearing edges 9, 9 and the filling-engaging ends of the toothed portion of the detecting end of the feeler member are in the same curred plane wg Fig. 1, preferably formed in the are of a circle, so that as the detecting end moves along the surface of the carrier or bobbin when the filling is substantially exhausted, the toothed portion of the deteeting'en-d tends to move away from, rather than ride along the surface of the filling carrier to permit the bearing edges 9, 9 to constitute substantially the only portions of the detecting end engaging with the filling carrier.

The bearing edges 9, 9 may be variously formed, but in the present instance they are produced by grooving the trailing face untoothed portion of the detecting end, as at 10, the groove being of sufiicient depth to avoid contact with the filling carrier when the fiiling is substantially exhausted, that is the surface of the groove does not contact with the filling carrier when the feeler moves longitudinally along the carrier or bobbin. The groove 1-0 may advantageously extend only along the untoothed portion of the 'lecler end, but in some (uses it may, of course, extend farther or not so far, that is it might extend less than the full length of the untoothed portion or it might even extend through some or all of the toothed portion also, the length of the groove or the bearing edges S), i) being a matter that may be varied to suit conditions of use.

From the construction described it will be noted that when a working supply of lilling is irescnt on a detecting beat, the Hattened taco of the tooth or teeth will engage the filling and sink into it sufficiently to hold the feeler member from moven'ient longitudinally of the shuttle without injury to the fine filling. hen, however, the filling becomes substantially exhausted and the feeler swings in the plane extending longitudinally of the filling carrier, the bearing edges 5.) will ride the filling carrier and present a minimum obstruction to the feeler movement What is claimed is:

l. A feeler member having a deter-ting end provided with a toothed portion and an uutoothed portion and having separated bearing edges to ride along separate elen'ients of a substantially cylindrical surface within the shuttle When the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat.

2. A feeler member having a detecting end provided With a series of teeth, and a rounded untoot-hcd portion, the latter being provided with bearing edges or ridges to ride along separate elements of a substantially cylindrical surface Within the shuttle.

3. A feelor member having a toothed filling engaging portion and an untoothed portion grooved longitudinally to provide two separate bearing edges.

4, A feeler member having an end part to enter and engage a surface in the shuttle on a detecting beat and provided With a toothed and an untoothed portion and a groove extending longitudinally of the end part.

5. A feeler member having a detecting end formed of non-metallic material and provided With a series of teeth, and a rounded untoothed portion, the latter being provided with bearing edges or ridges to ride along separate elements of a substantially cylindrical surface within the shuttle.

6. A feeler member having a non-metallic detecting end provided with cross teeth extending from side to side thereof, and an untoothed trailing portion provided With bearing edges extending from the side portions of the teeth.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM W. QUINTON.

Oopies of this patent may be obtained 4min and each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

walhingt'lin, D. 0. 

